The British International Freight Association (BIFA) is urging the Chancellor to use this week’s Budget to deliver targeted measures that will strengthen the UK’s trading environment, support the logistics sector, and improve the competitiveness of British businesses in global markets.
Representing the UK’s freight forwarding and logistics industry, BIFA warns that ongoing cost pressures, regulatory uncertainty, and infrastructure constraints risk undermining the UK’s post-pandemic and post-Brexit trading potential. The Association emphasises that freight forwarders, who manage the majority of the UK’s visible international trade, need a stable, modern, and efficient operating environment if they are to continue supporting the nation’s exporters and importers.
BIFA Director General, Steve Parker said: “Freight forwarders sit at the heart of the UK’s international commerce. The industry has shown remarkable resilience in recent years, but margins are tight and operating conditions are increasingly difficult. This Budget is an opportunity for the Government to demonstrate that it understands the strategic importance of the logistics sector and is committed to building a trading system that is simple, efficient, and internationally competitive.”
He added: “We urge the Chancellor to prioritise practical, deliverable measures that cut red tape, modernise border processes, and support the workforce that keeps UK trade moving.”
BIFA’s key Budget priorities include investment in UK border modernisation to accelerate delivery of the single point of information and ensure it is fully integrated, genuinely interoperable, and easy for SMEs to use.
This requires proper funding to enhance digital customs systems, reduce duplicate reporting and unnecessary bureaucracy.
BIFA is also looking for increased support for Customs and logistics workforce development, which could include expanded and simplified access to apprenticeships and funded training, including customs compliance and digital skills. Employers need to be incentivised to recruit and train new talent into the sector.
Relief from cost pressures is also high on BIFA’s wish list, which could be achieved by maintaining or expanding fuel duty freezes, and consideration of targeted reliefs for essential logistics operations. It could also include a long overdue review and reform of business rates for warehousing and logistics hubs, which are experiencing disproportionate increases.
Ongoing and increased infrastructure investment to improve reliability and reduce congestion is also key, such as the prioritisation of long-term funding for strategic road and rail freight corridors, especially around key ports and airports. A commitment to ensuring that future infrastructure planning recognises freight’s national economic importance would also be welcomed.
BIFA would also like to see an announcement of more policies that support UK traders and global competitiveness, such as simplified Customs processes for SMEs to encourage exporting, which would help offer stable, predictable post-Brexit regulatory frameworks enabling businesses to plan ahead.
Parker concludes: “BIFA stands ready to work with the Government to ensure that any new measures introduced in the Budget are feasible, effective, and aligned with the realities of international supply chains.”
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